I still haven't listed the wines I will contribute. I will survey the collection this weekend and come up with possibilities. Perhaps I will give the winner of my lot a choice of three out of six suggestions so if they like Zinfandels but not Pinot Noir or Chablis but not Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, etc. they can pick three they might enjoy most.

nice, JC. OK, DJIA closed at 10,172.98No #98, so my prize will be recycled at end, it'll still be given out. Monday's DJIA will determine who gets Howie's prize. Sorry this is a little strungout, but I didn't expect quite so many prizes, and was looking for a drawing method that no one would feel is rigged. Of course, this means there's still time to get more contributions in!

For the terminally curious and as a final inducement for people to donate, here is my analysis of the current odds:

Probability of winning something = 11%Average value of winnings averaged over all participants in raffle: $20

These are both based on my estimation of value of the prizes and the assumption that donors will re-enter their prizes should an unclaimed number be drawn. Nonetheless, you won't see better odds anywhere, certainly not in your State Lottery. So, don't hesitate or procrastinate: donate now, donate often!

And also, many thanks to Dale for (yet again) initiating such an important and generous event and to all the donors for their generosity and helpful spirit.

Don't know if you have a method to award prizes yet, but I can suggest a simple approach that we used for a baseball raffle a few years ago. Simply write the numbers 0 thru 7 on individual pieces of paper. Put all of them in a "tens" container. Write the numbers 0 thru 9 on another group of individual pieces of paper, and put them into a "ones" container. Randomly draw a number from the "tens" container and then draw a number from the "ones" container to award the prizes in order; i.e. "0" from the tens container and "7" from the ones container means the prize goes to entrant number 7. Do it with replacement and simply draw again if you pull the same set of numbers a second time.

Sam

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are a small matter compared to what lies within us" -Emerson

Sam, good plan for an "on site" lottery, but since we are all basically spread out, I wanted something everyone could observe but not influence. If I was doing a drawing, let's say Ramon, Jacques, or Matt (all friends of mine) won a prize. Or even worse, one of my local wine friends who donated but no one here knows (Jacque, Rob, Fred). It wouldn't take a paranoid to wonder just a little. I just preferred to have a totally random generator (just like in the old style numbers games they'd use the last 3 digits of the day's racetrack take). I'm pretty sure no one thinks that anyone can manipulate the fractions in the DJIA! That's why when Robin volunteered to not be in drawing I told him he was in, no one can suspect a fix.

That said, and not wanting to draw out this too long (as we probably have about all the donors we're going to get), does anyone object to this? Starting Monday, we go through the prizes in order (starting with #2, mine will go to back of the line) using the DJIA, S&P, and Nasdaq fractions? Even with some misses we can have everything done much sooner. I don't generally like to change rules in midgame, but this will speed up things, without changing the odds of anyone winning. OK with everyone?

Dale Williams wrote:I'll note that Birger Vejrum also made a very generous prize offer, a mag of 97 Gaja, but I think the logistics of shipping from Europe would too expensive/difficult.

Are you kidding, a mag of 97 Gaja olive oil? Seriously, I say let's include it, and Birger can kindly hold on to it until the winner goes to Europe sometime during the next couple of years, something he/she will certainly do with that as an incentive (alone worth the fare). Then Birger can ship it to Paris or London or Venice or wherever they go in the EEC.

"I went on a rigorous diet that eliminated alcohol, fat and sugar. In two weeks, I lost 14 days." Tim Maia, Brazilian singer-songwriter.